Re-thinking the offense......?

[ChatterRed]

At what point do we rethink/retool this offense and start making trades and releasing guys?

It's very apparent right now that the young guys are showing something and the old guys are doing nothing. Junior's bat looks slow. Dunn gets nothing to hit. This lineup might be better without having someone the other team pitches around like Dunn.

The infield of young guys is hitting well......

1B Votto
2B Phillips
SS Keppinger
3B Encarnacion

The outfielders are letting us down.

I say bring up Bruce, trade Dunn and Griffey. I've heard rumors that those two could be traded sooner than later.

Here's another prediction:

The Reds will trade with Texas and get Jarrod Saltalamacchia and put him on first base and move Votto to left field. They will then call up Bruce and put him either in CF or RF, and then platoon Hopper, Freel, and Patterson (whoever is not traded or released) in the other OF spot.

[durl]

How many teams are interested in picking up players making $10-15 million a year who are on the trading block because they're underperforming for a team that's near the bottom of their division? Then there's Griffey's ability to decline trades...

I'm not saying either one won't be traded, it's just that it's far easier said than done.

[Nasty_Boy]

I don't see how someone being pitched around is a bad thing? All that is saying is that he's in the wrong spot in the lineup, because he has no protection and the people behind him aren't driving him in.

As for trading them, Dunn can happen but not until after June 15th even then I don't know if the Reds will let him go. Jr is tricky because he's a 10-5 guy and he can veto any trade. Dunn will be a very wanted player, whether its at the trade deadline or in free agency. The Reds would do well by locking him up.

[durl]

Very true. A 40HR/100RBI guy will be in demand. Well, by everyone other than a lot of Reds fans.

I don't believe either one of them are the problem. Both are good offensive players. Dunn isn't hitting homers but he's showing that other managers respect his power because they're pitching around him. Junior is off to a slow start but that's not unusual for him. April is typically a poor month for him.

Things just aren't falling the Reds way right now. A good pitching night is offset by a bad hitting night, or vice versa. The Reds are getting hits but not getting them at the right time. It'll all come together soon, I believe.

[Rounding Third]

I don't see moving Joey Votto to left field. He has been pretty good at first base so far and no reason to move him. And why would you trade Dunn just because he is getting nothing to hit? He is getting the least amount of pitches in the strikezone on the entire team. Maybe if we had a manager that utilized him correctly he would be a lot stronger. Stop forcing Dunn to try to do something he is not. Use him correctly as a guy that is constantly on base. Bat him second behind a guy that gets on base a lot (Keppinger) and force the pitchers to throw to him because people like Votto and Edwin are behind him.

Thats probably too good of an idea for somebody like Dusty though.